"We are the only country in history that ever deliberately changed its ethnic makeup, and history has few examples of 'diversity' creating a stable society." - Richard Lamm, former governor of Colorado

Friday, January 05, 2007

U.S. deports imam of Ohio mosque convicted of lying about involvement in Palestinian terrorist group

A Muslim religious leader who was convicted of lying to conceal his involvement with a Palestinian group the U.S. government has designated as a terrorist organization, has been deported, immigration authorities said Friday.

Fawaz Damra, 46, was convicted in June 2004 of concealing his ties to Palestinian Islamic Jihad when he applied for U.S. citizenship in 1994.

Damra, who had served as imam at a leading mosque in Cleveland, was deported on Thursday, said Tim Counts, spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Damra was flown to Amman, Jordan, and then crossed over to the West Bank.